Sri Lanka: Embattled prez escapes censure motion as parl reconvenes
Sri Lanka’s beleaguered president side-stepped a censure motion on Tuesday after his fractured coalition rallied to delay a resolution blaming him for the country’s worst economic crisis.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s shaky coalition voted against taking up the unprecedented “displeasure of parliament” motion.
The non-binding motion was proposed by the main opposition Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance, saying it echoed the demands of thousands of anti-government demonstrators who have for weeks been seeking Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Earlier in the day, the ruling party was able to push through its candidate for deputy speaker of parliament after the legislature reconvened on Tuesday. The win indicates the leader still has the support of many lawmakers despite anger over the nation’s economic tailspin.
The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s candidate Ajith Rajapakse won 109 votes in a secret ballot, compared to 78 for the nominee of the main opposition. The vote also shows the first difference of opinion between the strongman president and Ranil Wickremesinghe, the new prime minister he appointed last week after his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned the post. The premier wanted the new deputy speaker to be chosen unanimously.
The four-day session of parliament is also expected to discuss the economic crisis. It comes a day after the prime minister announced plans to sell the national airline to stem losses, part of efforts to stabilise finances even as authorities are forced to print money to pay government salaries.
Wickremesinghe warned the next couple of months will be the “most difficult ones of our lives”.
Foreign reserves had come close to zero from $7.5 billion in November 2019, he added, with the country requiring $75 million in the next few days to keep the economy running. Essential medicines had run out.
Power cuts could extend to as much as 15 hours a day because of the lack of fuel, which is mostly imported.
“For a short period, our future will be even more difficult than the tough times that we have passed,” he said.